York Town, Tasmania Explained

Type:other
York Town
State:tas
Coordinates:-41.15°N 192°W
Pop:72
Pop Year:2016 census
Pop Footnotes:[1]
Location1:Beaconsfield
Dist1:7
Dir1:NW
Lga:West Tamar, Latrobe
Region:Launceston, North-west and west
Stategov:Bass, Braddon
Fedgov:Bass, Braddon
Near-Nw:Bakers Beach
Near-N:Badger Head
Near-Ne:Clarence Point
Near-E:Tamar River, Beauty Point
Near-W:Bakers Beach
Near-Sw:Beaconsfield
Near-S:Beaconsfield
Near-Se:Beaconsfield

York Town is a rural locality in the local government areas (LGA) of West Tamar and Latrobe in the Launceston and North-west and west LGA regions of Tasmania. The locality is about north-west of the town of Beaconsfield. The 2016 census has a population of 72 for the state suburb of York Town.[1] It was the first attempt to establish a British presence in northern Tasmania, in 1804.[2] It was a "bustling village" until 1808.[3]

History

York Town was gazetted as a locality in 1967.[4]

All the original buildings have now gone, but the landscape and natural setting remain largely unchanged. The site is preserved as the York Town Historic Site and provided with interpretive signage.

Extensive deposites of rich iron ore were discovered in the nearby hills by the settlers during the time of the York Town settlement.[5] Later - in the 1870s - these iron deposits led to the establishment of a short-lived iron mining and smelting industry on the western side of the Tamar estuary at Redbill Point and at Ilfracombe (now known as Beauty Point).[6]

Geography

The waters of the west arm of the Tamar River estuary form most of the eastern boundary.

Road infrastructure

Greens Beach Road (Route A7) passes through from south-east to north-east. Route C741 (Bowens Road) starts at an intersection with A7 and runs south-west until it exits.[4] [7]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2016 Census Quick Stats York Town (Tas.) . . 23 October 2017 . quickstats.censusdata.abs.gov.au . Australian Bureau of Statistics . 13 September 2020 .
  2. Web site: westtamarhs.com - Early History. westtamarhs.com. 2019-06-15.
  3. Web site: York Town . . 18 April 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110422165842/http://www.wtc.tas.gov.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=109&Itemid=110 . April 22, 2011 .
  4. Web site: Placenames Tasmania – York Town . . Placenames Tasmania . 13 September 2020 . Select “Search”, enter "5339A", click “Search”, select row, map is displayed, click “Details”.
  5. News: WEST TAMAR IRON FORMATION.. 1866-09-28. Launceston Examiner (Tas. : 1842 - 1899). 2019-06-15. 2.
  6. Web site: TAMAR VALLEY INDUSTRIAL HERITAGE - a survey. Morris-Nunn. Miranda. Tassel. C. B.. 1984. Queen Victoria Museum. 16–53.
  7. Web site: Tasmanian Road Route Codes . https://web.archive.org/web/20170801112712/http://dpipwe.tas.gov.au/Documents/Route%20Descriptions%20V3.6.pdf . dead . 2017-08-01 . . May 2017 . Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water & Environment . 13 September 2020 .